The Headmistress

Mrs Rachel Owens was born in Bolton, Lancashire and educated at Mount St Joseph Convent School, after which she read History at Somerville College, Oxford.  Whilst at Oxford she represented Somerville within the University Student Union, and played netball and rowed for her College.  After graduation she flirted with a career in the Law, but quickly realised her heart was with History and switched to teaching in 1992.

Her teaching career has been very varied – from the academic powerhouse of North London Collegiate School to the rather different challenges of being Head of Year in a Liverpool comprehensive as Head of Politics.

She has been part of the boarding community in two schools – Prior Park College, Bath, where she was Head of History and Deputy Housemistress, and New Hall, where she was Vice Principal.  Mrs Owens was also Oxbridge Co-ordinator for many years, and was delighted to appoint one of her own students to a History job some years later.  In addition to the academic side of school life, Mrs Owens has also coached netball and athletics.

Mrs Owens is married to Tom, a fellow historian and teacher, and they have twin boys, Arthur and Willem.  The boys are sports mad, so she also spends a great deal of time practising her forward defensive in the hallway.